Stallions

by Jade Carr

"Is that what you want?"

  Nokoni was a master at holding his body motionless. Judging by what he wore, he cared little about his physical appearance. He mesmerized her. Climaxing hadn't tamped that down.

  "I'm not sure what I want." She put her hands in her back pockets to hopefully keep them off him. "But I know my responsibility."

  "Which is?"

  He couldn't possibly care, was simply making conversation—or maybe seeing if she'd say something she shouldn't about her cousin.

  "Going back to where I was raised and seeing my aunt and uncle."

  "Where were you raised, Terena?" His warm breath heated the top of her head.

  "Here." Come on, think! "In Arizona. The northern part. On a reservation."

  "Which one?"

  Struck by his terse question, she looked up at him. His eyes drew her in, encouraged her to cast off responsibility and simply be. At the same time, his suddenly ramrod-straight body warned her to back off. In the end, she pushed her hands even farther into her pockets and squared her shoulders. Lightning licked her from throat to crotch.

  "Hopi," she said.

  "So." His breath hissed. "That's why."

  "Why what?"

  His eyes narrowed. "You saw what else Hah-Tee and I am."

  "You aren't making sense. Look, I'm not going to blame either of us for what happened. Go back to your friend. I need—"

  "He isn't my friend."

  "Then what is he? Never mind. Go live your life." Trying to calm herself, she paused. "I need to do the same." Without you in it.

  "It isn't that easy."

  Hah-Tee's aching cock demanded attention. Damn it, if he hadn't followed Nokoni, he wouldn't have seen the other shifter and the woman who called herself Terena together. Angry, he nevertheless acknowledged that watching the human-to-human sex act was what he'd needed to see. After all, how else would he learn about this part of being human?

  Another painful wave in his groin had him unzipping the strange-feeling jeans and cupping himself. Even though he'd seen his human sex organ enough times that he should be used to it, the weight and length drew his attention there. He hadn't yet made his peace with his human side, wasn't sure he'd ever reach that point.

  Frustration was the worst of it.

  Determined to distract himself from the need for release, he again turned his attention to Nokoni and Terena. She was staring up at Nokoni. If he was right about how she held herself, whatever Nokoni had said had upset her. Maybe she'd leave him and go in search of someone else to have sex with. The possibility of him being that person tightened his cock so that he could barely stifle a groan. He wanted to fuck her, same as he wanted to mate with the mares Nokoni ruled.

  Would his time ever come?

  Yes. Eventually he'd take his place as herd stud. In the meantime, however, his life was ruled by frustration.

  Not entirely, he amended as Terena finger-combed her long hair. He'd come across no fewer than four receptive mares this spring. Instinct, drive, and strength had compelled him to mount them and bury his hardness in their dripping openings. Back then, the only thing he'd cared about was that he'd been able to mate without Nokoni running him off. Only later had he pondered whether any of those mares would bear his colts or fillies. The possibility of passing on his great speed and the need to live in two worlds had changed something in him. From then on, he'd seen the mares as more than receptacles for his seed. They'd become the mothers of his future children.

  Terena's voice cut through his thoughts and sent another wave of need through him. Whatever she'd said, Nokoni hadn't wanted to hear it.

  What had they said to each other during sex? Her cries at the end told him she'd climaxed, which was yet something else he didn't understand about women. Mares simply accepted their periodic need to have a stallion plant his forelegs on their backs and fill their openings. If they felt something from the act, he hadn't detected what that was, but he'd also been preoccupied.

  Human females were different. At least they were from his limited experience. Granted, he'd had sex with just one woman, but as it had been with the mares, all he'd cared about was himself. Afterward, his partner—an older woman he'd picked up in a bar—had told him he had a hair-trigger. He hadn't asked her to explain, but judging by how quickly she'd gotten dressed and left, he'd concluded it hadn't been a compliment.

  Would Terena want to have sex with him? Teach him things he'd eventually need to know?

  Sighing, he acknowledged he'd been pondering that since he'd first seen her. There was something about Terena, something different from the bar woman and those he'd tried to talk to. Terena had seen him as horse and man, but that wasn't the only reason he wanted to get close to her.

  Close. Not just so he could haul off her clothes and spread her legs, but something deeper. Something that touched his head.

  And his heart.

  Terena spun on her heels and started walking away from Nokoni. Both the sunlight and shadows touched her. He envied Nokoni for what he and Terena had shared. Wanted the same for himself.

  But Terena and he came from different worlds, so it would never be.

  Terena made her way to the shaded side of the office building beyond the main parking area. She looked around to make sure no one was watching, then pondered why she was concerned with privacy. After all, Nokoni knew what direction she'd gone in. If he'd had more to tell her, he would have kept her by his side. Obviously, he'd been content to let her try to make sense of the last thing he'd said.

  She pulled out her cell phone and ran through her addresses until she found Quana's number. The acclaimed Comanche horseman answered on the third ring.

  "Terena, that you?"

  "It's me." Hearing his voice took her back to the first time they'd had sex—and the other times. Darn, but they always got that right. "Is this a bad time?"

  "No. Just give me a—easy. Remember, horses are prey animals. They get their confidence from you, but you have to earn it. Good. Good. Now do it again."

  Waiting for him to finish his conversation with whomever he was talking to, she recalled some of the things they'd talked about. Quana had practically been born on a horse. Maybe that's why he'd never had anything to do with the corporate world. In fact, he'd told her that the only way he'd agree to teach greenhorns about horsemanship was as his own boss. He could tell folks to shove it if he wanted. She wondered if he'd been able to hold to that. After all, she'd once envisioned herself jet-setting around the world writing articles worthy of a Pulitzer Prize.

  "Hey, beautiful. What's up? You miss me that much?" Quana sounded like he always did, as if he didn't have a care in the world. "Maybe you decided to surprise me for my birthday. I hate to tell you, but I decided not to have one this year."

  "Sounds like a great idea." Even with the reasons she'd made this call dragging at her, she couldn't help but smile. Quana was good for her in many ways.

  "Will do. Seriously, are you coming to see me?"

  Was it her imagination, or did he sound less carefree than he had a moment ago? "How can I? I don't know where you are."

  "Yeah, I guess you don't. Hold on, Ter. Wait. Think before you dismount. You need to keep your weight as close as possible to the horse. Otherwise you'll pull him off balance. He won't like that."

  She waited while Quana guided whoever he was talking to through the proper dismount procedure. Then Quana told the person she assumed was his client that he'd see him or her tomorrow morning.

  "Cops make interesting students," Quana said in a stage whisper. "They have so much macho in them. Even if they've never been around horses and are intimidated by them, they don't want to admit it."

  "You're working with a police officer?"

  "Not just one, an entire city force. Most of the cops are game. They just hate admitting they might be in over their heads. So, why did you call?"

  "I have a question."

  "That's all? There's a lot between us."

  There was and yet there
wasn't. Last year, she'd been intrigued by a project designed to encourage people to buy wild mustangs. Some mustangs would be turned over to proven horse trainers. The trainers were given a month to gentle and train the horses, then participate in a competition. Not only did the competition give horse lovers the opportunity to show off their skills, but people could bid on the former wild animals.

  Because the Bureau of Land Management managed the mustang herds, she'd asked for the names of trainers she could interview and shadow. The moment she'd seen Quana, she knew she had her man. He was patient and calm around skittish and scared horses. He also personified many people's idea of what a cowboy should look like. Bottom line, the full-blooded Comanche was ruggedly sexy. Photographs of him would sell the article.

  She'd tailed Quana while he worked with the stallion he'd drawn and had taken countless pictures during the competition, which he and his horse had won. Quana and she had become lovers.

  "You still there?" Quana asked.

  "Yes. Where are you?" All right, so she was stalling.

  "Citrus Heights."

  "Where's that?"

  "California, not far from Sacramento. Actually I'm at this high-class facility run by a former Olympic equestrian who has a contract with the police department to let them train here. Believe me, she threw major money into the joint."

  "She?"

  "It's not like that. She's in a long-term relationship with another woman. Besides, I'm seeing someone."

  "Is it serious?"

  "Too soon to tell, but so far it feels good. She's a cop."

  "I'm happy for you. Happy and surprised."

  "Are you? You and I had this understanding."

  They did. Just the same, her heart ached at the thought of not having Quana around, so to speak, anymore. He'd always made it clear that he lived in the present and having enough cash to pay this month's bills, particularly if working with horses paid the bills. Much as she admired his skill around the animals, it bothered her that he didn't have an answer for what he'd do once age caught up with him. Now, maybe, the female cop would give him a reason to plan for the future.

  "How'd you get hired?"

  Quana chuckled. "Horse people are close-knit. Everyone knows what everyone else is doing. Where are you?"

  "Arizona."

  "On the res? I thought you weren't interested in going back there."

  She had told Quana a lot, hadn't she? "It's complicated, but no, I'm not on the reservation right now. Do you remember me talking about my cousin Ahote?"

  "Yeah. About how messed up he was as a kid."

  She'd love to tell Quana about watching Ahote ride Red. But like Quana had pointed out, those in the horse world knew each other. Word of what Red had accomplished today would quickly spread. Besides, that wasn't why she'd called.

  "I hope I don't have to ever bail him out again," she said. "It took him a year to pay me back the one time I did. Ah, I ran into a couple of men today."

  "Two? That's kinky."

  I only had sex with one. Despite the need to get on with the conversation, the idea of getting it on with both Nokoni and Hah-Tee turned her more than a little on. She'd fantasized about getting two sex partners for the effort of one, four limbs instead of two encircling her, two cocks demanding attention and entrance. Fortunately, for the sake of her sanity, she'd never done more than entertain the possibility.

  "Get your mind out of the gutter," she told Quana. "The reason I'm calling is to pick your brain. I'm pretty sure they're Comanche. I thought you might know something about them."

  "This matters why?"

  "They might have some kind of business with my cousin. I figured the more I knew about them, the better."

  "What are the men's names?"

  "Nokoni and Hah-Tee."

  Quana didn't respond. She might be wrong, but was he taking a deep breath?

  "What is it?" she demanded.

  "Are you saying they're in Arizona?"

  "That means something to you?"

  Quana went silent on her again. "Did I lose you?" she asked. "Are you still there?"

  "Yeah. You're right, those are Comanche names. Nokoni means Wanderer. Hah-Tee stands for Eagle. What are they doing?"

  She explained that she'd first noticed them during a race. "Ahote's horse won hands down. Later, they came looking for him. I don't know if they found him."

  "What aren't you telling me?"

  "What? Nothing."

  "Bull."

  "All right, they make me uneasy."

  "That's all?"

  "I don't know. There are several things going on that I don't understand."

  "What kind of things?"

  Shape-shifting. How's that for a starter? "It's complicated. Look, I appreciate you nailing down their ethnicity. That helps."

  "In what way?"

  She hadn't paid attention to where she was standing. Now she noted dry weeds around rocks that marked a gravel path leading from the office to a nondescript building.

  "Maybe no way. The Comanche were pretty good horsemen, right?"

  "The best."

  Any other time, she would have come up with a lighthearted reply. "Maybe their heritage explains why they're so interested in Red."

  "Red?"

  "The horse Ahote was riding."

  Quana sucked in a breath. "Tell me about Red."

  Before she could decide whether to do so, her cell phone chirped, letting her know she had an incoming call. What if it was Ahote? In trouble.

  "I have to go. Look, I'll call as soon—"

  "No, wait."

  She disconnected.

  Chapter 7

  The call had been from Ahote, but he'd hung up after a single ring. She'd tried returning the call only to be advised to leave a message. She didn't leave one but headed instead toward where she'd last seen him. Between wondering where Nokoni and Hah-Tee were, puzzling over Quana's suddenly cautious tone, and anger at her cousin for worrying her, she was in a far from fine state of mind. So much for the lethargy that traditionally consumed her after she'd climaxed.

  Maybe the next time.

  Not going to happen.

  A four-wheel-drive pickup with a California license plate hauling a single-horse trailer was parked near the horse stalls. Because of how it was angled, she couldn't tell whether a horse was in it. Ahote stood nearby with his hands fisted and his jaw clenched.

  The sick feeling in the pit of her stomach kicked up a notch, prompting her to slow. Oblivious to her presence, Ahote stared at something at the rear of the trailer. Maybe her cousin didn't want her to see what was happening, but what if that aborted call had been a cry for help?

  Wishing she was anywhere but here, she forced herself to keep walking. Ahote glanced her way, turned back to whatever he'd been studying, then fixed his gaze on her again. Help me, he seemed to be saying, but maybe she was imagining it.

  Red emerged from the shadows. The speedy mare was being led by a man who looked more like a banker than someone who belonged around horses. A moment later, another man came into view. Judging by how the second one handled himself, she figured he didn't want to get close to a horse's hooves. The man leading Red walked backward and held the rope as if that was the last thing he wanted to do.

  "You aren't going to help, are you?" the second man asked.

  Ahote shook his head.

  "What happens when we try to put her in the trailer?"

  "That's for you to find out."

  By now, Terena was so close she could hear everything that was being said. The two white-collar men stared at her.

  "Who's that?" The one leading Red stopped, then jumped sideways when Red nearly bumped into him.

  "You leave her alone," Ahote said.

  "I'll tell you what. You get the nag in the trailer, and we'll be out of here. Otherwise, things are going to get ugly."

  No! she wanted to scream. Instead, Terena stood there feeling helpless. The mare had brought Ahote rare joy and held the potential t
o make his financial concerns go away. Why, then, was he letting these strangers leave with her? What hold did they have over him?

  "Fuck you," Ahote muttered. "You got what you wanted."

  The man handling Red yanked on the rope. Red tossed her head and set her hindquarters. When the man yanked again, Red started to back up. The way the whites of her eyes showed plainly said she was upset and approaching scared.

  Disgusted with everyone, her cousin included, Terena hurried over. "Let me." She took hold of the taut rope.

  "What the hell—"

  "Don't talk to her like that," Ahote snapped.

  "Is this what you want?" she asked her cousin. "You're all right with these men taking Red?"

  Ahote sagged. Help me, his expression repeated. "I don't have a choice, Ter."

  He called her that when things were serious between them. It tore her apart to see him looking helpless and defeated but trying to figure out why would have to wait until she was assured of Red's safety. She took the rope out of the man's hands. She noted his dusty dress shoes, creased slacks, tailored shirt, and manicured nails.

  She loathed the men who put her in mind of bankers who'd foreclosed on a family's home but coaxed Red into the new trailer. She wished she felt better about Red riding in style.

  "Where are you taking her?" she asked after exiting.

  "I don't see where that's any of your business."

  "California? That's what the license plate says."

  "Lady, you need to stay out of this."

  The man who'd been afraid of getting within ten feet of Red now looked as if he was in his element. She wondered when it would occur to him and his partner that the rear trailer door was still open.

  "Stay out of this?" She gave the man a sideways look. "I just accomplished something you're incapable of. The way I look at it, that entitles me to an explanation." She glanced at Ahote. He looked sick. "And since my cousin isn't forthcoming, I'm asking you."

  "Don't. Ter. Please, don't."

  I can't help it. "Did you buy Red from him?" she asked the men. "How much did you pay?"

  "This wasn't a money transaction."

  Ahote's hand hovered near his knife. The idea of her cousin protecting her begged the question of what she needed protecting from.